One of these following facts about the Boston Massacre should probably give you much information about this massacre. The Boston Massacre was an incident on March 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five male civilians and injured six others. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, since 1786 in order to protect and support crown-appointed colonial officials attempting to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation. For further information, you might want to know more about facts about the Boston Massacre below.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 1: Wig

It all started from a wig. The Massacre started when young wigmaker’s apprentice named Edward Gerrish called out to a British officer on duty, Captain Lieutenant John Goldfinch, that he had not paid his master’s bill.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 2: Christopher Seider Shot Dead

Another fatal incident occurred just few days before the Boston Massacre. Christopher Sieder was shot dead on February 22, 1770 in a fight between the mob and the British loyalists that started from throwing rocks at the shop of a Loyalist merchant.

Facts about the Boston Massacre – Boston massacre

Facts about the Boston Massacre 3: Captain Preston

After the Massacre many believed that Captain Preston was the one who gave the order to fire on the crowd. The famous engraving by Paul Revere even shows him raising his hand in command. But the subsequent trial decided that Preston could not have ordered to fire, as he was standing in front of the guns, between his men and the crowd of protesters.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 4: Defense of the Two British Regulars

One of the most unusual outcomes of the Boston Massacre trial was the defense of the two British regulars. The defense was called the ‘benefit of the clergy’ and reduced the change from murder to manslaughter by simply proving that the accused … were simply literate enough to read from the Bible. However the two privates were punished by branding ‘M’ on their thumbs. This was done to prevent from using the same defense in the future.

Facts about the Boston Massacre – Grave

Facts about the Boston Massacre 5: Fatal Accident

It is not certain that Paul Revere was present during the fatal accident, even though his engraved depiction of the event was used as the evidence in the B.M. trial to establish the locations of the bodies.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 6: Revere’s Engraving

By other accounts Revere’s engraving was a copy of an earlier painting made by a Boston artist by the name of Henry Pelham. Although this “massacre” has a similar name with “Boston Tea Party”, it’s obviously not related. Check out for more facts about the Boston Tea Party.

Facts about the Boston Massacre – Revere’s engraving

Facts about the Boston Massacre 7: Soldiers

Originally twelve British soldiers and Captain Preston were arrested, but only eight were finally tried in November 1770. The other four were suspected in shooting into the crowd from the window of the Customs House, but this has never been proven.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 8: Defense Counsel

John Adams wasn’t the only defense counsel. Another member of the team, Josiah Quincy, Jr, conducted questioning of some witnesses. Yet another counselor, Robert Auchmuty, carried out parts of the summation for the jury.

Facts about the Boston Massacre – Massacre site

Facts about the Boston Massacre 9: Defendants

During the B.M. trials, under British law, the defendants weren’t allowed to speak as witnesses on their own behalf. This was because they had an interest in the case.

Facts about the Boston Massacre 10: Propaganda Battle

In the days and weeks following the incident, a propaganda battle was waged between Boston’s radicals and supporters of the government. Both sides published pamphlets that told strikingly different stories, which were principally published in London in a bid to influence opinion there.

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